Alexandra (aka Sasha) Lakind’s Map of the Feeding Farmers project

The table is traced from a photo taken on a day I visited the museum. The labels on the table represent various elements of the project (all taken directly from the project). They can, like the table, be rearranged and read in non-linear ways. It is not exhaustive, rather presents some components of the project, including fundamental structure, quotes, concepts, ideas, entities, and various bits of documentation from activities surrounding the project. The concepts or forms are not mutually exclusive, such as the thank you note from Andrea and Richard which could be both the concept “gratitude” as well as documentation for that performance of gratitude. As another example, the “I am uplifted” quote can be for laughs since it is holding up the table.

The “start here” and the grey box on the right are meant to give the reader context (to know where they are) and the italic quote underneath is meant to suggest how the reader might approach the map. The table and the labels are the map itself – again, of various parts of an ever-changing piece. The small reference map in the lower right is a nod to the genre of “map” showing that this is at MMoCA, and also lists the exact time and place of this read of the piece.

There are many purposes for this project since it is enacted by so many people. This map was a way to show the project as multilayered. The graphic is meant to be both conceptual and descriptive at the same time, to locate it within Foodways and Spatula&Barcode, but also let Feeding Farmers stand on its own as a unique collaboration.

The point for me, surrounding the installation, became the various small and large moments and concepts, locations, actions, people, food etc. … the combination of lots of components offering up infinite rearrangements. As documentation, an expression of the piece’s essence, a spatial/graphic representation, and an orienting mechanism for wayfinding through this project, the reader can meander and explore this map and in-so-doing experience concepts I found useful for depicting Feeding Farmers.

Credit is designed into the image where it says “by Alexandra and Ally” who are, respectively, Alexandra Lakind & Alisa Reith (designer, collaborator, friend)